FreePavarotti

I don't know why I'm so delighted about this, but I got retweeted by the entity known as "FreePavarotti" on twitter. I'm wildly curious about who actually runs the account! Who could it be?

Anyway, thought it was cute and wanted to share. The socks, obviously, are from Forever 21, which I find terribly overwhelming in general. I venture in there once in awhile because they have cute socks for $0.95.  :)


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Day 16: Home


Of all the days to promise a light entry! This isn't exactly an episode that lends itself to levity, but I'll try not to be as big a drag as yesterday. Here goes nothing...

So, "Home" is a very different-feeling episode. The frenetic pacing normally associated with Glee takes a day off in favor of a purposeful, yet fortifying stroll.  It feels...chewy? Sort of like eating a piece of taffy; you have to chew slowly as it dissolves in your mouth.  You can't rush "Home" any more than you can rush that big wad of delicious candy.

As a general rule, the episodes written by Brad Falchuk are my favorites. If Ian Brennan is the snark, then Brad is the heart. He comes through here in a big, Burt Bacharach kind of way, as various characters explore the meaning of 'home'. The usually self-confident Mercedes struggles to feel at home in her body. Finn feels that his home is being yanked out from under him, while Kurt fears that his position in his home is being usurped. The grown-ups are having a rough go of it as well. They've been bearing up admirably under difficult circumstances, but they now realize that their homes, while functional, are lacking. They are particularly compelling, probably because up until now, these folks have been essentially flat background characters. Finally, April, Carole, and Burt emerge as actual people and not just as "adults". Will, too, to some extent. We get intimate glimpses into their lives and hearts, and man, there is a lot of stuff going on in there! It turns out they are every bit as flawed and vulnerable as the kids, and have exactly the same desires; to love and to be loved, to belong, to feel at home in the world and with themselves.

Part of me wonders if the pacing was intentional. That this episode was meant to feel like a slow march rather than a sprint to the finish. Because the 'home' referred to here is not a physical destination. This kind of home is a lifetime pursuit. I don't think anyone ever actually gets there, at least not permanently. Life brings change, people grow, priorities shift. It's that yearning, though, that keeps us moving and makes us (hopefully) try a little harder to find our place. That being the case, the real goal is making the  most of the march. Bring the people you love best, breathe deeply, appreciate the view. A great soundtrack doesn't hurt either.


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Day 15: The Power of Madonna

Confession: I love this episode, simply by virtue of the music. I grew up on Madonna's early hits, so the whole thing felt a bit like old home week. Considering the huge number of featured songs, I think the writers did a pretty sweet job of shoehorning a storyline in as well. Everything served some purpose and didn't feel as gratuitous as it might have. I certainly wouldn't want a big production like this every week, but I think it's okay once in awhile.

Best moments:

• The entire "Open Your Heart/Borderline" sequence. Not only are those two of my favorite Madge songs, but it also featured what amounted to the history of Madonna as Finn and Rachel made their way down the hall. What a hoot trying to pick out all the different looks and reminiscing about the videos! I thought it was a really special touch, and a nod to fans both young and old(er).
• Will's attack on Sue's hair. The "Flowbee" shout-out pretty much made the scene for me. I actually knew someone who owned one of those things! It worked about as well as you'd imagine.
• Sue Sylvester's "Vogue", just for the sheer absurdity of it. This was the first time we heard Sue sing, and I think she did great!
•  Kurt and Mercedes as Cheerios. These two were so sassy and cute...I'm actually very sad that storyline didn't last longer. 4 Minutes is one of the two songs I wasn't previously familiar with (the other being "What it Feels Like for a Girl), and I love the marching band treatment! 
• "Please stop talking. You're grossing out my baby." Ha!
• The look of perplexed concentration on Mercedes' face as she was calculating Sue's age. If this wasn't Glee, I'd be incredulous that a kid her age would know what year "True Blue" came out. Since it is Glee, I'm willing to suspend my disbelief in favor of a good chuckle.

Now for a few(?) words on a more serious note. As a show that deals extensively with teen sexuality, I sometimes get a little nervous about how casual it all seems, and the implication that there's some sort of race or deadline. This is not because I'm prudish or naive about hormones+teenagers. I'm an adult, I WAS a teenager, and I speak from a place of humble perspective. That said, I do appreciate that for the characters who are "active", the outcomes have been portrayed more or less realistically. Quinn and Puck are dealing with a pregnancy. Finn rashly threw away his first time. He thinks he feels bad now, but he'll feel even worse later when Rachel finds out. Santana plays fast and loose, but I get the impression that she isn't that way because she particularly enjoys it. Maybe we'll find out what's really going on with her at some point. 

The media tends to give kids a very romanticized, glamorized version of sex, often with no repercussions, which then leads to unrealistic expectations. It's important for young people to see that waiting is perfectly okay, and that there are consequences for rushing things. The writers did an admirable job with that here, so good on them! I know this isn't a popular point of view these days, but there it is. *steps down from soap box*

Tomorrow, I shall attempt to keep it light.  :)

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Day 14: Hell-O

I'm determined to keep on schedule with this project, despite still reeling slightly from last night's Golden Globes show. Seriously, I haven't shrieked like that in ages! Then watching all of the fun backstage stuff and cute interviews today...it's like a happy bomb detonated.  :)

Today, I venture into the infamous "Back 9".  Infamous because, for good or ill, the final nine episodes of season one set Glee's precedence for change.  After a long, agonizing hiatus, "Hell-O" was designed to introduce fans to the new and improved (?) Glee. A Glee that we were promised would be "bigger and better". More music, more showbiz, MORE EVERYTHING. During the hiatus, I think many fans were excited about that idea. Myself included! There was such a hunger for new material that MORE sounded like a fantastic idea at the time.

It's not that I don't like "Hell-O" or the back 9 in general, because I actually really do. What I'm saying is they feel different from the first 13. It's sort of like installing a system upgrade on your computer: it takes some time to adjust because the old one was so comfortable and familiar. After that adjustment period, you might still find yourself longing for the ease and carefree interface of the old system, even if the new one is perfectly fine. Now, if these episodes had comprised the first part of the season, I would have still glommed on to the show. Would I have fallen hopelessly in love with both the show and the characters? It's hard to say. For me, all the MORE occasionally eclipsed the little things that made Glee so special to begin with. More songs left less time for story, less story meant less character development.  It suddenly felt more commercial and less intimate.  I enjoyed these later episodes overall, but for very different reasons than I enjoyed the earlier ones. I think they are perfectly fine, but I sometimes miss the old system!

That being said, I love all the music here. The Doors, Lionel Richie, and The Beatles all in one episode? Yes, please! I notice that thus far, season two has skewed younger music-wise.  I hope this will not always be the case, 'cus I love my classics! The setup for the major second act storylines is also well done--a tantalizing promise of more messy drama to come.

Mmmmm...messy drama! Stay tuned...

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Golden Globes, Golden Moments

 Well, my lucky Glee pants certainly worked their magic last night. You're welcome, Glee cast! Seriously, though, what a night. And it didn't have anything to do with luck OR my pants.

With well-deserved awards for Jane, Chris, and the show, I was positively giddy. Admittedly, I don't always agree with the directions the show goes in, but there is no denying this is the hardest working cast in the business. They earned those awards with blood, sweat, and tears. Sometimes literally. Congratulations, all! We love you dearly and appreciate the sacrifices you make to keep us laughing, crying, singing, and most of all, thinking.

Chris pretty much owned the night, though, didn't he? I went back and watched the presenters announce his name over and over last night. The look on his face--the very definition of shell shocked! It just never gets old. For a minute there, I was concerned he wasn't going to make it to the stage at all--he looked awfully unsteady! Then to give that beautiful speech, which somehow simultaneously conveyed both humility and pride...just--wow. What a spectacular moment for a lovely, remarkable guy.

In a few succinct words, Chris managed to sum up the power and appeal of Glee. At its heart, the show celebrates kids and differences. The harsh reality is that being different makes kids vulnerable. Whether they be shy, overweight, mentally or physically impaired, gay, exceptionally bright, taller or shorter than average, a racial minority, or simply perceived as weird, a kid that won't (or can't) conform is probably going to get picked on. So many kids are told "no" by their situations, the people around them, and very often, by themselves.  No single group has a corner on the bully and discouragement market. Glee encourages people of all kinds to throw off the "victim" label and take control. It has the power to give kids hope for a better future, but, perhaps even more importantly, gives them wings to rise above adversity in the meantime.

This is why we love Kurt, Tina, Mercedes, Artie, Becky, Rachel, and all the others. For these kids, "no" has just become another, more scenic, route to "yes". That's not to say they won't continue to struggle, but they are learning and growing from their experiences, and discovering inner strength they didn't even know they had. Isn't that what we want for the rising generation? Really, isn't that what we ALL want in life?

Bravo, Glee. Let's keep on keepin' on!

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Day 13: Sectionals

Hooray! We made it to "Sectionals"! Our little band of ragtag misfits manage to pull themselves together at last and take the victory, just like we hoped they would. Throw in some of the best music of the series to date, a last minute crisis, a midnight reprieve, and a generous dose of comeuppance and BAM--instant classic television.

Even if the series had ended after this episode, it would have been deeply satisfying. Heartbreaking, but satisfying. Loose ends tied up, major plot lines resolved, the future of the glee club secure, the villain vanquished, the possibility of love, at last, requited. It would have been a terrible loss to fans and television alike, but the show certainly would have lived on in legend, a beloved little gem to cherish.

As the writers and cast have said, the first 13 episodes were produced in a relative vacuum. Before the Gleeks, critics, awards, fame, and pressure to please, there was just a group of relative unknowns pouring their hearts into a project they loved and believed in. With no assurance of success, they crafted these first episodes. For all anyone knew, "Sectionals" could well have been the end. How I love everyone involved for having the humility to realize that and wrap things up so beautifully; a delicious package of quirk, joy, snark, and wit, all held together with song and dance.

"My Life Would Suck Without You" is the bow on top.  It felt like a gift in itself--a sweet memento of the time we spent watching and growing to love these kids: Remember? This is where we've been together. See how far we've come? Thank you for joining us...it's been a crazy ride!

The perfect curtain call to a stellar first act.

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Day 12: Mattress

Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
You'll get by
If you Smile through your pain and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll see the sun come shining through
For you

Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile- What's the use of crying
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile.

-Charlie Chaplin

Dear Glee Clubbers,

Sometimes life stinks. Sometimes, jerks draw buck teeth or Hitler mustaches on your yearbook picture. That stinks. Someone you trust bailed at the last minute? Stinks. You got your teacher banned from competition over a delightful, yet ill-advised local commercial? Stinks. Your wife concocted an elaborate pregnancy hoax? REALLY stinks. The point is, stuff happens.  Much of that stuff is beyond your control. Especially the reactions of other people. Some folks will always be morons, and others will let you down. There just aren't enough showtunes and ballads in the world to change that.

Don't despair! You have each other. You have your music. You have Sectionals coming up! And you can choose to smile, even when stinky stuff happens. Life can take a lot out of you, but don't let it take your smiles. :)

Love,
Me

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